High Profile Audio | Tony Belmont's Top Picks

Tony Belmont's Top Picks

In this section you will find Tony's Top Picks of gear for your studio. In this issue of Top Picks, Tony focuses on gear that caters to the Hip Hop studio.

Custom Main Monitors:

"This a picture of a very well known hip hop producers private studio and the mini main montior system we outfitted in his room. These are for the guys who want the best. We offer both single & dual 15" horn based systems, and typically have them painted in custom colors to suit the needs of the studio. These are the same monitors that you would typically see in the big studios, and they give you the volume without the fear of blown drivers and tweeters. Click on the picture to learn more."

DBX 160A

The dbx® 160A is the latest incarnation of the legendary dbx® 160 family of compressor/limiters. The same classic sound, easy set-up and no compromise metering is now married to an improved signal path and stronger chassis design. The result is industry standard compressor/limiter which is digital-ready and road tough.

API A2D Dual Channel Mic Preamp with Built-In A/D

"Now this is truly an innovative piece... What do you get when you combine the classic API 312 mic preamp with a top notch 192k capable A/D converter? You get the new API A2D! For under $2000, this is quite simply the best preamp solution out there for your first high end preamp purchase. This unit effectively kills 2 birds with one stone, with it's top notch preamps & top notch converters. I've been known as a fan of API preamps for years, and have used them to track major label hip hop artists in the past. This unit gives you the same preamp that countless hit records have been recorded with plus the added bonus of a world class converter!"

Avedis E27

"If you haven't had a chance to try this EQ yet, you are truly missing out. From the mind of one of the best API & Neve technicians, comes a truly unique EQ. Finally a product that isn't just a copy of a vintage design. This is a totally new design with great color and low order harmonic distortion that helps impart a great character when applied to your tracks! Check out the top end choices.. 20k, 24k &28k! "

Empirical Labs Distressor

"The Empirical Labs Distressor is a modern classic. No other piece of gear released in the last ten years has been as widely heralded as the Distressor. A great all purpose compressor, the Distressor is the absolute first compressor to buy if you don't own one already..."

Peluso 22 47 Limited Edition Tube Microphone

"Assuming you have a properly built room to record vocals in (in other words a vocal booth), the Peluso 22 47 LE is an incredible microphone for under $2000. I would put it in the same class as a Sony C800G, but at a fraction of the price. This microphone does a great job of duplicating the sound of a well maintained long body U47, one of the most desired mics in all of audio (and most expensive). If you were thinking about getting a used U87, you might want to reconsider and pickup this incredible sounding microphone...."

Blue Sky MediaDesk 2.1

"I can't say enough good things about this monitor system... For under $500, you get a complete 2.1 system with powered subwoofer. I recently picked up a pair of these for the studio and completed a major label mix on them. The mix translated great when I took it out to the car and checked on my home stereo speakers. Now, don't get me wrong there are much better monitors on the market.... But, not in this price range! These are the only monitors that I can recommend for Hip Hop in this price range.. I'm using them everyday alongside my mains and I've come to count on these to get a great mix that translates well."